When a Texas man was forced to give up his dog, a fire station gave him a home

The journey of a dog left at a Texas firehouse 02:48

Fort Worth, Texas — Fire Station 8 in Fort Worth, Texas, is a so-called “safe baby site,” a place where desperate parents can drop off a baby they can’t care for.

Earlier this month, a little dog was left at the base of the fire station’s flagpole: a dog named Jake.

A note accompanying Jake read: “His name is Jake… If you really care about helping babies, please help my baby.”

“We could tell he was loved,” Fort Worth Fire Capt. Jason Bryant told CBS News about Jake. “Super healthy, super strong. We can tell you he hasn’t missed a meal.”

Jake lived with a homeless man named Tom Miner. But Miner became homeless a few years ago after his landlord said he couldn’t take care of his dog.

The miner eventually reluctantly decided to give up Jake because he believed his dog deserved a better life.

“I live with this every day,” Miner said. “…This was definitely the hardest decision I’ve ever made.”

The miner said he ran away from the fire station after dropping Jake off because he “couldn’t look back.”

But then came a bright side. The crew at the fire station decided to keep Jake as their own.

Then Miner had a new place to live when the Fort Worth Fire Department convinced a local business to donate him a camper.

“This is my home,” Miner said of the camper. “And there’s no place like home.”

The fire department also provided supplies and arranged for him to see a dentist; He did everything he could to help Miner get back on his feet.

And when that day comes, the firefighters plan to give Jake back to him and repair the hole in his heart.

“He’ll come home one day,” Miner said.

The fire department emphasized that this was a one-time exception because the public cannot allow dogs to be left at fire stations.

“If we can give Jake back to Tom, I think that would be the happy ending everyone wants,” Bryant said. “…I think 30 grown men will be screaming.”